The disclosure relates generally to power distribution management, and more particularly, to fault detection, isolation, and resolution (FDIR), as well as systems, methods, and computer products therefore.
In power distribution networks, faults should be isolated as quickly as possible to protect the rest of the network, such as by disconnecting the affected portion of the network. Once the fault is isolated, power can be restored to at least portions of the network that were taken off line by the fault. Embodiments of the invention disclosed and claimed herein provide system, method, and/or computer product for detecting, isolating, and resolving issues surrounding faults in power distribution networks.
Embodiments of the invention disclosed and claimed herein provide a power distribution network fault management method for a power distribution network including at least one controller configured to execute the method responsive to a fault in the power distribution network, and at least one node configured to communicate with and be responsive to the at least one controller, each controller being configured to store network data, including at least one of device data, topology data, and power demand data. Network data is used to determine a region affected by a first fault, and the region affected is isolated by instructing a nearest upstream node and a nearest downstream node to interrupt conductivity to the region affected. Power is restored upstream of the first fault, such as by restoring conductivity through a first fault interrupt device between a source and the region affected, the first fault interrupt device having previously interrupted conductivity responsive to the fault. Power downstream of the first fault is restored responsive to a power requirement and power availability being analyzed. Responsive to power requirement exceeding power availability, a load is disconnected to reduce the power requirement. Once power requirement has been determined to be no more than power available, at least one secondary source is connected to the region affected downstream of the fault including. The power distribution network includes a second partition with a respective controller and network data. When a second fault interrupt device is tripped in response to a second fault in, a location of the second fault interrupt device is determined, as is a location of the second fault. The second fault is isolated, and power is restored upstream, then downstream of the second fault location.
Other embodiments of the invention disclosed and claimed herein provide a computer program product including program code embodied in at least one computer-readable medium, which, when executed, enables a computer system to implement a method of power distribution network fault management in a power distribution network including at least one partition with at least a first controller configured to execute the method responsive to a first fault in the power distribution network. The at least one partition includes at least one node configured to communicate with and be responsive to the at least one controller, and each controller is configured to store network data, including at least one of device data, topology data, and power demand. The computer program product includes program code for using the network data to determine a region affected by the first fault and for isolating a region affected by the first fault by instructing a nearest upstream node and a nearest downstream node to interrupt conductivity to the region affected. Program code is also included for restoring power upstream of the first fault, including program code for restoring conductivity through a device between a source and the affected portion of a power distribution network, the device having interrupted conductivity responsive to the first fault. Additionally, the computer program product includes program code for restoring power downstream of the first fault responsive to a power requirement and a power availability, including program code for analyzing a power requirement and a power availability, disconnecting a load to reduce the power requirement responsive to power availability being less than power requirements prior to disconnecting loads, and connecting at least one source to the region affected downstream of the first fault. If a second fault occurs, program code for communicating with at least a second controller of at least a second partition may be used, the second controller having respective network data, and additional program code may be used to determine a location of and isolate the second fault, restore power upstream of the second fault location, and restore power downstream of the second fault location.
Additional embodiments provide a power distribution network fault management system including at least a first partition controller with at least one computing device, the first partition controller being configured to communicate with at least one intelligent electronic device (IED) configured to control conductivity in a first partition of a power distribution network, the first partition controller also being configured to store network data, including data from and the at least one IED, and to send an instruction to the at least one IED. The system also includes at least one fault interrupt device responsive to at least one IED and a computer program including computer-readable code that, when executed by a computing device of the first partition controller, responsive to a first fault interruption device being tripped, performs a method in which a first fault location of a first fault is determined. An IED controlling a node upstream of the first fault location is instructed to stop conductivity between a source side of an affected segment of the first partition and the first fault location, and an IED controlling a node downstream of the first fault location is instructed to interrupt conductivity between the first fault location and a downstream portion of the affected segment. Power is restored to the source side of the affected segment, including restoring conductivity through the first fault interrupt device. A power requirement of a load on the downstream portion of the affected segment is determined, including analyzing a power requirement of the downstream portion, and power available to the downstream portion of the affected segment from at least one secondary source is determined. Responsive to the power requirement exceeding power availability, conductivity to a portion of the downstream portion is interrupted to reduce the power requirement. Once the power requirement does not exceed power available, at least one secondary source is connected to the downstream portion of the affected segment. If a second fault occurs, program code for communicating with at least a second controller of at least a second partition may be used, the second controller having respective network data, and additional program code may be used to determine a location of and isolate the second fault, restore power upstream of the second fault location, and restore power downstream of the second fault location.
Other aspects of the invention provide methods, systems, program products, and methods of using and generating each, which include and/or implement some or all of the actions described herein. The illustrative aspects of the invention are designed to solve one or more of the problems herein described and/or one or more other problems not discussed.
It is noted that the drawings may not be to scale. The drawings are intended to depict only typical aspects of the invention, and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention. In the drawings, like numbering represents like elements between the drawings.